The Quest of Seven
by HylianWolfos94
Summary: It was a normal day for Iris, having attempted a heist at Hyrule Castle. But that night would be the starting point of the events that'd change her life and the way she lives forever. Join Iris as she gets thrown into a journey with six others after being kidnapped from her home. Her and her six allies' quest to get home begins here.
1. Chapter 1

_The Quest of Seven was my first Zelda story ever. I meant to upload it a long time ago, but it's been through many changes and several proofreads before being ready to be uploaded here. If you read Lost In Termina, then this story explains the events just before Lost In Termina and how Iris got to Termina in the first place. So The Quest of Seven is what started me off on writing Zelda stories in the start. Hope it's an enjoyable read._

* * *

_Everyone who's heard of the tales of the Hero of Time, will know of Hyrule and it's many creatures and people. This story takes place after the events of Ganan's reign on Hyrule, when peace was restored.  
A lot of people are loved and respected for things that they accomplish, and some are even rewarded.  
Though... Not __**everyone**__ is loved and respected for their actions, some even despised.  
The story I'm about to tell you starts off with a person like this. This takes place at Hyrule's very castle._

"Hi, I'm here to deliver some Lon Lon Milk?" Said a guy named Talon to a guard. He was leading a mule hooked to a wagon filled with crates of milk. They stood before Hyrule Castle's gates.  
The guard nodded "Ah, Talon. Alright, go ahead." He opened the gates, as he was informed of a shipment of milk earlier that day, letting the man through. Further off closer to town was someone watching the events from behind a rock ledge.  
"Shoot... It's guarded..." Said a small brown creature. This plant-based creature was known as a Deku Scrub. This one went by the name, Iris. She had large brown and yellow leaves that hung down to the ground, acting as hair. Three larger ones stuck off her forehead. She was dressed brightly in large purple and blue petals as a shirt, and a brown grass skirt  
The Deku Scrub girl looked to a small black bird next to her, who was gazing up at her as if waiting for something. It cocked it's head to the side slightly as it eyed her deeply.  
"I think I've got a plan, Skits." Iris said.  
She came out and approached the guard, who had his back turned as he began closing the gate. "Excuse me sir?"  
The guard jumped slightly and looked around for whom had spoken.  
"..." Iris stared for a moment "Down here guy..."

The guard gazed down, seeing the short deku scrub girl, looking as innocent as possible. He instantly looked disgusted with her presence for some reason.  
She began "I'm with, uhh... The milk guy. I help with shipment. y'know? loading, unloading, all that jazz. I need to pass." She walked ahead, but was stopped by a large hand in her face. She stumbled back slightly as she gazed up to the tall armored man.  
"Really now...?" The guard questioned "And what proof do you have to show you work with him? What's his name?"  
Iris' eyes grew slightly "Um... Talon?" She was simply going with what she thought she heard before.  
The guard nodded "What's the name of the ranch he works at? Or where _you_ work, I should say."  
Iris was now stumped, as she'd never been to said ranch. "Uhh..." She thought long and hard as she scanned her memory for any trace of the name she possibly heard before.  
"Forget it, _Iris_..." The guard suddenly said.  
She jumped "Whu- But how did y-"  
"Everyone who lives in castle town knows of the trickster Deku... You're quite popular among the people of this town..."  
Iris threw her hands in the air "Oh stop! You're going to make me blush."  
The guard crossed his arms "We have no need for thieves like you... So get. You're lucky I don't throw you into the dungeon right now for even showing up after all you've stolen and trouble you caused, you're a wanted thief, you little weed…"  
"Well I never... fine, _sir-r-r_" Iris said with sarcasm as she turned away, not taking kindly to being called a weed. Iris began to walk back to town, and occasionally looked back, and as soon as the guard turned to lock the gate, she ran straight back to her hiding spot.

"How dare he call me a weed, that is a major hurtful insult to Deku… Not like he would care anyway… Okay... that didn't work. I need to get in there! they get all the great stuff, loads of it! We'd be rich and never ever go hungry with all those treasures. On to plan 'B'..."  
Skits gave her a questioning look.  
"... Plan 'B' is now about planning plan 'C'... Don't judge me, I just... I just can't think of anything..."  
She leaned back against the rock wall, when she noticed something touching her back. She turned, spotting thick vines creeping up the rock wall. "I think I just found plan 'C'."  
She grabbed the vines and climbed up, lifting her light body off the ground. Skits flew up and waited for her. Once at the top, she dusted herself off and gazed down at the unaware guard. "Hahah, their security sucks. You'd think that they would check for areas that people might be able to get in from. Any moron could get in this way, makes me wonder if anybody else has done it?"  
She snuck around as she walked along the ledge until she came to a hole going down the gate's pillars, which in the hole was a ladder that lead to a door towards the castle yard, probably meant for guards to stand watch atop the gates. "This is too easy." Iris stated with a low chuckle.

When she drew closer, she soon realized- "... Oh for the love of Nayru! Guards, **everywhere!**"  
All over the castle yard, were guards, guards and more guards. She looked to Skits. "Alright, you know what to do."  
Skits nodded and vanished into the bright sky.  
The Black bird soon landed on one of the guards.  
"Shoo!" a guard swatted.  
Skits flew up, dodging the man's swat, and landed again.  
"I said get!" He said growing agitated. A couple other guards walked up to him laughing. "you being bothered by that little bird?" One asked.

The irritated guard continued trying to get the annoying blackbird to leave him alone, until he lost sight of it. "Is it gone?"  
The one from before began "I think so, I don't see him."  
"WAIT... Hold still..." One guard held up the bottom of his spear.  
Skits was sitting right on the guy's shoulder now, and with the sound of a whoosh! He vanished, leaving the agitated guard to get whacked by the weapon's pole end, with the sound of a **clang** to his helmet. "**OWW!**  
The now hurting guard whacked the other guy with his spear's bottom. "What was that for!?"  
"I was trying to get him!"  
"Well, you missed!"  
"So, at least he's gone!"  
The surrounding guard's began laughing.  
The commotion soon drew other surrounding men to them, as they continued to fuss, allowing Iris to make a quick jump into the milk wagon ahead. "Whew..."  
Skits soon flew in after her.  
"Nice one, Skits!" She commented.

Later, when the wagon came to a stop, they made a break for it. Avoiding contact with anyone, they managed to get inside through a hole in the side of the castle wall. "I've said it before, I'll say it again:" Iris quietly began "The security is just awful..."  
Now approaching the garden, she hid behind a bush, only to find more guards on the other side. "Okay Skits, we need to find where they keep all their goods, like food, treasures, you know... I'm sure they've got plenty more if we take anything. Heck! It's the royal family."  
Iris was about to step out, before remembering one more thing. "OH! If you see some kid wearing a green tunic, stay away from him at all costs!"  
Skits simply eyed her, giving a "Why?" expression.  
"Because. He's like some spy or boy-servant or something for the princess, I don't know... I've seen him around here and there, he likes to take orders from Zelda. Heard he's from Lost Woods like us, and is a Kokiri like that jerk, Mido… Not sure if he's nicer, or if he's smarter than two rupees, don't feel like finding out, though..." She made a quick dash after her explanation to another bush successfully without being caught, eventually making it to a window. With a jump, she made it in, but barely.

Inside was a neatly decorated hallway, that connected with many others. Alongside the walls, large statues were lined, along with tables, vases and other decorative items. Along with paintings as well.  
"**You! Stop!**"  
"YIPE!" Iris froze, she quickly hid behind a statue.  
A guard came running right passed her, surprisingly, not seeing her. She looked back, seeing he was going after a simple stray cat that got in. With that, Iris made her escape. "Pretty nice place, a little too shiny, though... For me anyway." she suddenly tripped, making a loud squeak.  
"Huh?" The guard turned. "H-HEY YOU!"  
"Oh boy... RUN! Er- you fly, I run!" Iris quickly got back up and began running, as Skits flew away.  
"Crud..." She came to a skid, as more guards came running from all near sections of the halls, surely hearing the commotion. She swung back around, running back toward the lone guard. "Sorry, gotta' go!" She dropped and slid underneath the guard, making it back to and out the window.

"Block off the the gates, leave no way out!" One guard barked.  
"_Sir!_" The rest replied, and left to do as told.  
Iris was already back to the hole in the wall and made it back to the milk wagon, and jumped in. Now all that was in the wagon were many empty open crates "...Wow, that was a quick unload..." She whispered. She made it just in time, and Talon was now leaving. Skits came flying back to her.

"Hold it Talon!"  
Iris groaned as she cursed her luck.  
Talon spoke, and was unaware of his guests in the wagon. "Yes sir?"  
He was now at the gate guard, as with many others. "I need to check your wagon please."  
Talon nodded "Uh, okay."  
Iris began to panic, she couldn't jump out, but couldn't stay in.  
The gate guard looked into the covered wagon "Hmm..."  
He began to search through the wagon, scooting crates out of the way. He pulled back out holding something. "All I found was this black feather... You're clear, go ahead."  
"Thank you." Talon said, and continued forward.  
One of the many crates lifted slightly, two glowing red eyes peaked out from underneath. Iris lifted the crate up. "That was too close..." Skits sat next to her, nodding.  
"So... How about we just grab some food from the market and head home buddy?" Iris asked Skits.  
Skits gave a "Caww!" in agreement.

Once the wagon reached Castle town, Iris and Skits jumped out, making a break for the alleyway.  
"So, let's make this quick." She said.  
Skits flew up and ahead, while Iris ran to a stair case that went up to the top of a building, which below her was a small shop with fresh fruit and other types of food. She met Skits up there, and gave him the signal to act as a distraction to the shop keeper.  
"Fresh fruit and dairy! It's fresh as fresh can be!" Called the shop keeper. There weren't many people around, aside from one woman, who was looking through some of the items on the side of the shop's table.  
Skits landed on the table in front of her, and cawed loudly.  
"**Oh my! Gross!**" The woman shouted in disgust, catching the shop keeper's attention. He ran over there shouting "Shoo! Get out of here!"  
Iris couldn't help but laugh on the inside. The shop keeper looked like an idiot swinging his arms aimlessly at Skits. Though, he couldn't even get anywhere near touching the quick bird. She jumped down on the other side, putting as much food as she could in a bag she'd brought, even grabbing some of that ever-so-famous Lon Lon Milk. She accidentally dropped one of the glasses and broke it. "Whoops..." She shot her head up to see an angry shop keeper running towards her. Her eyes grew "YIPE!"  
He threw something at her, and it was obviously made of glass because it shattered and left a little scratch on her arm. She didn't get a good look at what it was, all she really cared about was getting out of there.  
She made a break for castle town's exit. She looked back and shouted "_See ya', Sucker!_" She winked, and continued on her way, being followed closely by Skits.  
"Iris! We'll get you someday, that I swear! The next time you show your face here, we'll call the guards on you, and you'll finally be no more! Stay in the woods where you belong, or else!" The shop keeper shouted angrily, slamming his fist on the table.  
For a short Deku, she was actually quite fast, and made a clean escape. That last threat seemed pretty serious, though.

When she reached Hyrule field, she slowly came to a walk as she even passed Talon on the way. "Huh... The Ranch he works at is called Lon Lon Ranch, huh? I might have to start stopping there if I can't go to Castle Town anymore... Anyway, Check it out Skits! We got some pretty good stuff today." She ever-so-proudly held the bag out for him to look into.  
Skits sat on her arm as it was out reached for him. He cawed happily.  
"It look's like the rest of today will be smooth sailing. Just gotta avoid those maddeku's in Lost Woods." She laughed.  
The sun began to fall, as it took quite a while to reach the far forest known as Lost Woods. She continued through. Her path had grown dark from the thick tree's shade.  
Once in the forest, she saw a young boy in green riding a horse through. Upon seeing the character, she hid behind a tree, and whispered "Hey, Skits? That's the kid I was telling you about back at the castle! What's he doing out here?" Skits watched him from a low branch. Iris scratched her head "... He look's like he's searching for something... Oh well, we better go, not getting any brighter out here..."  
It was what seemed like hours before Iris arrived at a large hollow tree in the middle of the forest, beneath was a small Deku flower. She dove in, and launched back out holding onto two pink flowers who's petals rotated like propellers, allowing her to hover into a large hole in the tree. Once inside, She dropped the flowers, and walked to the far side of the inside of the tree. It was set up like a bedroom, with thick leaves piled like a bed and even a poorly made table with a lantern on top of it. She sat the bag down onto the said table, and sat on the floor.

"I'm beat..." Iris said.  
She reached to the lantern, and turned it on, then reached into the bag, and pulled out one of the bottles of milk.  
She pulled a piece of bread in half, and sat it on the table for Skits. He gave a quick 'caw' and began to peck and pull at the bread.  
Skits ate. Iris had finished, and sat looking outside. She looked a little sad. That's when Skits looked up at her, wondering what was wrong. Iris finally said "I wish I didn't have to steal like this… That merchant seemed pretty serious… Aside from hunters in the woods, do you think anyone would try to kill us if we keep doing this…?"  
Skits' head lowered, realizing the penalty alone for breaking into Castle Grounds has some serious consequences. For the havoc they've caused, it's no wonder no one is nice to them or likes them. It doesn't help that Deku Scrubs aren't really respected creatures.

Iris suddenly flicked a leaf on her head, when she felt a sense that she wasn't alone. It was now dark, maybe around 10:00 or 9:00'ish PM. Her eyes were glowing brightly in the dark, and allowing her to see clearly. Laying next to her tree was a stick with a small blade at the end of it. "Sweet!" She exclaimed. She hopped from branch-to-branch until she reached the forest floor.  
"What is this?" She whispered to herself as she lifted it. "I could use this to protect myself! It's even got a blade on it." She poked her finger slightly to the blade's edge to feel it's sharpness. She now wondered how she'd get it back up to her home.  
She looked at the Deku flower. And began to think that through. She probably wouldn't be able to hold onto both flowers to fly up if she held onto the weapon, due to her small hands. She then wondered where it came from in the first place...  
"How...!" She stopped in mid sentence when she saw a figure standing in the forest not too far off from her tree. From her view, he appeared to be a guy Who seemed to be Hylian. He wore purple and had purple hair. She soon realized that this odd weapon she'd picked up is probably his. He had his back turned, and appeared to be searching for something, and was unaware of Iris' presence. She remained quiet as she backed up slowly, keeping her eyes on the strange figure. 'Aw nuts...' She thought. 'Now what?' She took a step back, stepping on a twig.  
She gasped and hid the weapon behind her back, and the man began to turn. Iris quickly closed her eyes, shielding the light that emanated from her eyes.  
"Is someone there...?" The man asked. To him, the little Deku could hardly be seen. What could be seen of her, she simply blended in, and looked like an average Hyrule plant. He turned back around and began examining his surroundings, this time, being alert.  
Iris slowly opened her eyes. 'Now's the time to run...' she thought.  
The light from her eyes could slightly be seen where ever she looked. The man noticed a growing light on a nearby tree, as if someone had turned on a dim light. "...Hmm...?" he turned to see the little Deku tip toeing off. With the weapon in hand. "Ugh-! My staff!" He called out.  
Iris once again cursed her luck as she turned back slowly. "Ummm..."  
The man didn't look angry, nor did he seem mean. He seemed surprised though "Okay little Deku... Can I please have my staff back?" He asked as he approached her slowly.  
Iris simply stared like a deer in headlights. Until she'd realized he was coming near her, she then bolted off.  
"W-Wait! Come back!" He called out once more. She continued to run. As she ran, a large gust of wind came blowing her way "GAH!" Her light body stood no chance to the heavy wind, as it began blowing her back towards him. She dropped the weapon at his feet as she rolled back-first into the foot of her tree. "Ughhh..." It turned out the man used a spell that controlled the wind to blow her back to him.  
She groaned as she felt dizzy.  
The man picked up his staff. "What was that all about?" He asked, kneeling down to Iris. When Iris came to, she looked kind of scared. Usually if she took something, someone would throw something at her or yell at her. Some have even hit her. But no one has ever caught her helpless this way with no where to go, she feared she was seriously in for it now. But he didn't seem all that mad, maybe irritated, but far from angry. "I- uhh...I-c-..." Iris couldn't speak.  
"Don't be scared." He said.  
She sighed. "I... I just wanted to find something so I could p-protect my self. So I took your bladed stick... thingy."  
"My staff?" He kindly corrected. "Are you out here all alone?"  
Iris nervously shook her head no. Her eyes didn't give off that optimistic feel as usual. They looked quite sorrowful actually.

The man simply smiled and patted her head, seeing she wasn't any real threat. "You should head on home. It's dangerous out here at these times, including for young Deku scrubs like you." He stood back up.  
"Okay..." She grudgingly replied. She hated being talked too like some kid, seeing as she's taken care of herself for years now. She turned back around and headed to the Deku flower going up into the tree, as the man turned and continued on his way.

Iris was up in the tree by now. She'd been laying down for a long time trying to sleep, but couldn't. She sighed. She was still shaken up from that strong wind. And the fact that the guy acted so calmly to her actions.  
Iris sat on her leaf bed simply staring at the ceiling. "Why was he so nice to me...?"  
"**GROOOOAR!** Sudden roars in the distance made her jump as it broke the silence. She ran back to the entrance, hearing the battle cries of someone deep in the forest. It sounded like they were fighting a type of beast. "It sounds like the guy I ran into a while back!" Iris usually doesn't trust many people, she felt she should at least see if he's okay- Putting her fear aside. He acted so kindly to her, she couldn't help but to see what was happening. "Skits, c'mon!"  
Skits awoke as he sat on a branch. Then took off after her. She did as before, jumping from branch to branch.

"It's coming from this way!" She shouted.  
Minutes pass, and all grows quiet. She came to skid as she approached a forest clearing, seeing the oh-so familiar staff lying on the ground, but no one near by. "Okay... Now I'm scared..." She picked up the staff and held it defensively as Skits landed on her shoulder, his feathers ruffling.  
She soon heard something, it sounded like growling, she was about to turn around.  
"What th- GUH-! ahhhhh..." She felt a quick spark of pain hit the back of her head, then everything around began to fade out...

'Where... Where am I?' She thought to herself. She looked around. Everything was dark. She wasn't in the forest anymore, that's for sure. She was surrounded by thick rusted iron walls. Very high above, there were bars. It looked like a prison cell. She stood and tried to walk, but something had pulled on her arms and held her back. Her arms had shackles around them, chaining her back to the wall. Same goes for her legs. "Skits? Skits! **Where are you!?**" She cried out soon realizing her situation, she feared the worst for her small, feathered friend. In an unknown place and chained up.  
"Caww..." this sound made Iris perk up, as she looked around anxiously. She was relieved that Skits was okay, but her relief had been shrouded in sorrow soon after. He was locked in a tight cage, not even giving enough room to unfurl his wings. And some of his feather's had been messed up, like someone had held him by the wings and tail, and some of his beautiful black feathers were bent. "Oh Skits... I'm sorry for getting us into this..."  
A deep sigh came from far off.  
Iris moved her attention to the one sighing. There was a guy chained to the back wall like her. He had long hair that covered his neck and appeared to be Hylian. He was wearing a black tunic and gray tights. He also wore a pair of iron boots. Around his neck, was a necklace lined with four wolf fangs.  
The little Deku showed fear towards him.  
"D-Do you know where we are?" Iris asked.  
The guy looked up at her. "Not really. I don't even know how I got here."  
Iris looked down sadly, seeing as he was just another person in the same situation as her.  
"So, who're you?" He asked.  
Iris glanced at him once more "Umm... Iris... You?"  
He replied "Orion Lunas."

"Since you've already introduced yourselves, I guess I'll tell you my name as well." Said a female's voice from another side.  
Iris and Orion gazed towards the girl speaking. She looked different. She wasn't a Hylian. If anything, Iris had never seen someone like her in all her life. The girl was dressed quite dark, her red and yellow eyes glaring through the darkness of the cell. "I'm Kyutah."  
Iris blinked "What are you...?"  
"I'm a Twili." Kyutah replied quietly.  
Iris had never heard of such a race before. Though, she was filled with some relief that she wasn't alone. But the gloomy atmosphere of the cell made her and the others feel depressed. She lowered her head, gazing at her scuffed-up shoes.. "Hey Kyutah...? Do you know where we are?" Iris asked.  
Kyutah shrugged. "Not a clue. Same as Orion over there, I'm not even sure how I got here."  
"Oh..." Iris' head hurt. She reached back feeling her head. It was hurting as if someone hit her with something. Seeing as it was the last thing she remembered was feeling a sharp pain on the back of her head.  
The Deku scrub gazed sadly towards Skits- who looked miserable in the cramped cage.  
She soon, however, grew tired, and was just about to surrender sleep.  
**'SLAM!'** Rushed open the prison door, which Iris wasn't even aware of before. She jumped slightly. Two dark figures- of which Iris couldn't make out- Was bringing someone within the cell. They, same as her, chained him to the wall next to her. The large figures were silent as they entered and exited the prison cell.  
Iris recognized this one. This was the kind guy she'd met back in the forest. So that explains what happened to him. He was out like a light. "Hey...? You okay?" She asked. She felt just a tiny bit more comfortable talking to him, since she sort of knew him better. She then nudged him when he didn't respond to her question.  
He mumbled and groaned weakly. His blurry vision growing stronger once he'd awoke, seeing the little bright-eyed Deku next to him, first thing. "You? What're you doing here? Where am I?" He asked.  
"I honestly don't know... I heard you shouting back in the forest, so I came to see if you were okay. But the next thing I knew, I was... Here..."  
The man looked around, noticing the others. "I see we're not alone..."  
Iris nodded. She pointed at them "She's Kyutah, and he's Orion. Same thing happened to them."  
"That's terrible... And not one of you have a clue who'd done this to us?" He asked.  
Orion began "There were those goons we saw bringing you in, I couldn't see them all too well, though."  
All was quiet for a couple minutes as he examined the room. "By the way. My name is Vitani."  
Iris gazed for a while, before replying "I'm Iris."  
Vitani smiled "I didn't mean too startle you back in the forest."  
"Startle? Me? Nah!" Iris lied. She was still bummed out, but tried to hide it by making herself sound okay.

Iris sighed, as what seemed like hours had passed. Very boring, quiet hours. "That's it, I'm tired of this!" She loudly rang out. She sprang to her feet quickly with a determined look on her face, making everyone look towards her in surprise. "AAggggrrr!" she began to pull and yank on her chains, but only found herself to slip and hit the stone floor after pulling a good few times. "... It's hopeless... I'm never getting out here... Not exactly the place I wanted to die in..."  
Skits' head lowered. Vitani looked to Orion, then Kyutah, and back at Iris. Iris began again "Hey, anyone here have a weapon of some-kind?"  
Orion shook his head. "I did, but they were all taken from me I guess before they locked me in here..."  
It just occurred to Vitani that his staff was missing as well. "Mine's gone too!"  
Iris shifted her eyes as she sat up. "Well, I hope it wasn't left in the forest, last I remember, I found it on the ground."  
Kyutah looked up "I wonder what they want from us?"  
The little Deku froze. "... I don't want too think about it... All I want **is too get out of this death hole!**" She shouted towards the ceiling bars.  
She plopped back down staring at her chains. Boredom set in again, as her mind was racing so fast, she really couldn't think at all. She tried to hold back the urge to cry. She started wondering if she, or Skits, would ever see the light of day ever again... As these chains were bound pretty tight around their legs and wrists. At this rate, it appeared no one was going anywhere.

Skits looked pitiful as his head hung out of a bars of his cage. "...-!" Skits looked above Iris, noticing a small, dark shadow ascending from the ceiling.  
Whatever it was, landed on her arm. Her eye's quickly grew wide as she looked down. "AAGHHHH!" She hopped up and began shaking her arms like crazy.  
"**What? What's wrong, Iris!?**" Orion asked.  
Vitani spoke "Iris!? You okay!?"  
One last shake sent a medium sized spider flying off, and also, a little click, like a small piece of metal dropping could be heard as well.. "GOSH I hate spiders!" Iris stated as the very thought sent her chills. Orion noticed the 'click' sound, and looked around, spotting a small shining thing laying next to Iris. "What's that?" He asked pointing.  
Iris looked down, and picked it up. "Oh... That's a hair pin I'd got in Castle Town." Skits glared at her. Iris noticed this piercing glare. "...Okay, STOLE. Ya happy, Skits?"  
"Wait! Iris, can I see that?" Vitani asked.  
Iris nodded, and handed it to Vitani. Vitani examined it, and stuck it in the lock of his shackles.  
"What're you doing?" Iris asked.  
Kyutah spoke "Great idea, Vitani!"  
"What!?" Iris asked once more.  
The sound of a 'click, click' was music to Vitani's ears, as one of his shackles fell off.  
"Whu-!?" Iris exclaimed. "Okay, that's cool!"  
Once Vitani unlocked all his shackles, he'd moved to Orion, and began picking his shackle's locks. Then continued so to Kyutah and Iris. Then let Skits out of his cage, Skits flew straight to Iris.

Iris rubbed her wrists and stretched. "Thanks, Vitani!"  
Kyutah was quick to look through the cell doors once she'd gotten up. "Hey Vitani? Do you think you can pick the lock of the cell door?"  
Vitani approached the door, sticking his hand through the bars, and putting the hair pin through the lock. "It's no good, it won't work. It needs some kind of special key... The lock is shaped very differently."  
Vitani heard foot steps approaching the cell. "Uh-oh..." He looked to the others and whispered "Someones coming!"

Moments later, the cell made a loud click, then the door squeaked open, showing two large figures. Who now could be identified better. They looked like mutated Lizaflos, having two tails with sharp, axe-like edges to them, ginormous teeth and what looked like wings, that still couldn't be determined, though. They also had horns atop their heads. They examined the captives of the cell, all of which appeared to be asleep and still shackled. Until they noticed one missing. "Ones gone, where'd he go!?" One spoke in a dark, gritty voice.  
"Here, ugly!" The lizalfos heard as he turned. '**SMACK!** came a fist to the side of it's jaw, knocking it back some as it held it's jaw in pain. Orion threw in another punch to the opposite side of it's face. Orion turned to see the other one swinging it's axed-tail at him, which Orion quickly evaded. He soon came back around, kicking the creature in the gut with his iron boot, knocking the breath out of it. Orion swung around again to meet with the other supposed lizalfos, who had it's arm's high in the air, with it's clawed hands clinched into fists. It slammed its fists down with amazing strength and brute force. It hit, but not Orion. The beast looked down as his careless attack knocked out the other lizalfos cold.  
The attacker gazed around cautiously looking for his prey. **WACKK!** came the nasty sound of being hit behind the head. The-once last standing lizalfos was out like a light, standing behind the fallen beast was Orion. He kicked the beast behind the horns when he bent down. "Not too bright, are they?"  
"Nice one, Orion." Kyutah commented. Everyone got back to their feet and removed the unlocked shackles. Iris approached the fallen monsters, nudging them her shoe in disgust. "These don't look like Lizalfos... They have faces not even a mother could love. And that's saying something when compared to a lizalfos."  
Kyutah approached the now open cell door. "I say we go before they come to their senses..."  
Vitani nodded "Agreed!"

They snuck out, with Orion leading. "I see light ahead!"  
They continued onward as they were now going up stairs. Iris was about to run out in the open. "Oh my gosh, we're fre-!... Holy cow..."  
Outward and onward were hundreds, maybe thousands, of these brute monsters, and it appeared they were in a huge fortress, as the ceiling above was countless measures high... "Oh we're so going to die here..." Iris quietly said.  
Orion turned around without a word, the others following closely. Iris was practically sandwiched between everyone for protection.  
On their way back down the stairs, Iris spotted something high on the wall. "...What's that?" She asked, pointing up.  
Orion stopped, and walked back to Iris "An air vent, now c'mon."  
"Wait, stop! What if we crawled through it? I mean, it's gotta be connected to the outside world." Iris stated.  
Kyutah nodded "I think it'd be a lot safer. It's not like we'll run into any of those goons in here."  
Vitani walked up to it and pulled. Luckily, it came right off with a few good tugs. "Alright then, Iris, lead the way."  
Iris looked nervous, but followed through with her plan, and crawled in. the air vent was big enough for her stand in, and gave Vitani, Orion and Kyutah enough to room crawl through without a problem.

Iris was growing impatient as she continued on As Skits sat on her shoulder still. "This place must be huge..." Iris soon saw some light through a vent ahead. "Wait, I see something." She quietly ran up to it, and looked through a vent opening. Through it, a small room could be seen. It was lit red by a fire as a large lizalfos-like creature sat on a barrel, boredly using his claws to make scratch marks on a burnt table in front of him. He looked nothing like a normal Lizalfos. He was ginormous, and he for sure had a pair of dragon-like wings. He wore armer as well, the horns on his head curved, and between those two large horns were three smaller ones. The room looked like a place you'd see in volcanic places, like death mountain. Aside from the table of course, which looked totally misplaced.  
"Sir?" A scratchy, gritty voice rang from the rocky hallway further out of the room. The large lizalfos looked over towards the one calling as he sighed "Yes?" The large Lizalfos replied. Vitani, Orion and Kyutah were soon looking out of the vent as well.  
A normal lizalfos walked in "Sir, we've captured more for you."  
The large one groaned "Yes, I know... They're not the ones I'm looking for however."  
"They're not, sir?"  
"No you idiot!" He slammed his fist on the table "Do they look like fairies!? Do they have wings!?" The large one stood as he roared out.  
The normal lizalfos stuttered "N-n-no, Scoll..."  
Scoll laid his face in his hand "I swear... Why is it that y'all can't think things through before acting!?" He paused "Dispose of the ones you've caught..."  
The lizalfos asked "How, sir?"  
"Throw them to the white wolfos in the den." He paused for a moment, then continued "Except the Deku Scrub."  
Iris froze, hoping it was a different one, which was less likely.  
"You mean the little girl?" the lizalfos asked.  
"Yes... The only Deku Scrub here, moron... The wolfos won't eat her"  
The lizalfos couldn't help but ask. "Then how are you going to dispose if her?"  
Scoll chuckled "She'd make great fire fuel I suppose."  
Iris fainted upon hearing so, causing skits to fly up on Orions shoulder.  
Vitani caught her, then began to think 'Heartless, cold-blooded creatures...'  
"So when should we dispose of these unwanted creatures?" The lizalfos wondered.  
Scoll crossed his arms and laughed, showing monstrous teeth.. "Tonight. It's more fun when the wolfos are highly active."  
Another lizalfos ran in. "Scoll, there seems to be a problem at the gates. A fights broken out! We've had another capture, but this one woke during transport, and proves to be strong! I don't know if we can take it."  
Scoll stood "Okay... Let's take a look at our new capture, it sounds promising for once." With that, everyone had left the room.  
"They're certainly smarter than the average Lizalfos..." Vitani stated.  
"We've got to get out of here." Kyutah spoke.  
"Not without our weapons... We need a way to protect ourselves if we get caught up with any of them." Orion replied.  
Vitani looked out "You mean those?" He said, pointing towards a corner, which, surely enough, had their weapons lined across it.  
Iris began to wake up "Ughh..."  
Vitani looked down "Iris?"  
"I can't believe they're going to burn me alive!" Iris panicked.  
"Only if we don't get out of here." Orion stated. "But we need to get our weapons first."  
Iris looked around, anxiously wanting to just leave the place. Iris leaned back on the vent. "What ifagghhhh!" She screamed as she fell. The vent had torn off when she leaned on it!  
"Iris!" Vitani called out, trying to catch her. Sadly failing.  
Iris squeaked in pain when she hit the floor as she landed on her back. "T-That could've hurt worse I guess..." She looked up and through the hallway to make sure no one saw her.  
"Are you okay?" Vitani quietly asked out.  
"Yeah." Iris replied.  
She examined the room, and spotted their weapons. "huh..." she slowly approached them. "Hey, I'm going to try and hand you guys your weapons, okay?" She whispered.  
"Alright." Vitani replied.  
Iris recognized the staff right away and grabbed it. She ran back underneath the vent, standing on the tip of her feet to hand the staff too Vitani, then scurried back to the weapons. The next one looked odd to her. They were gauntlets with spikes at the tips of their fingers. She held them up confusingly. "Uhhh?"  
"Those are mine." Orion said.  
Iris gave an 'ah' expression. Then began to ponder on how she'd get them up there. She gazed at a sword to the wall, and grabbed it. It had a red hilt, and It had a long wide blade which curves at the end. she lifted it. "Ohh, this is heavy..." She carried the sword with all her strength, then sat the gaunlets on the tip it, and lifted it up. "This isn't dangerous at all..." She said with sarcasm.  
Orion carefully grabbed them. "Thank you, Iris."  
"Hah! Us Deku Scrubs aren't that weak after-all!" She began "Wait until I tell all those back in Lost Woods!"  
Vitani held his staff out "Grab on, I'll pull you up!"  
Iris hadn't heard him, as she was still talking to herself. "Well... Maybe I'll try to get myself a weapon from one of those guards at the castle."  
"Iris!"  
Iris jumped "Oh, what!? Oh, yeah. heheh..." She reached for the staff, but soon found herself being pulled away from reach "Ahh!"

_To Be Continued..._

* * *

_Vitani belongs to TheCrimsonKyuubi on DeviantART._

_Kyutah belongs to sarcasticAquarium on DeviantART._

_Orion belongs to kingofdarkness17 on DeviantART._


	2. Chapter 2

"What do we have here!?" A dark voice chuckled. She was now lifted in the air by her flower-petal shirt and turned to see the face of Scoll. Iris struggled in fear.

Vitani gasped. The creature spoke. "I thought I'd heard a some racket back here."

"**Let me go you monster!**" Iris screamed as she thrashed her arms about.

"Let you go? Then I wouldn't be able to keep my cozy warm fire going, would I?" He said as he pointed the fire out to Iris. Iris tried to throw her fists towards him, though, her short reach wasn't much help.

Footsteps dropped to the floor, catching Scoll's attention. "Let her go, now!" Vitani ordered as he pointed his staff at Scoll. Scoll simply laughed. "You don't really plan on hurting me, with THAT, do you?"

Iris growled, and spat a sticky bubble in his eye. "Gahhhh!" He shouted as he dropped Iris. He rubbed his clawed hands across his face trying to get the nasty mess off. Iris was petrified, and went running out the hallway, Skits flying down and following her.

"Wait, Iris!" Vitani shouted as he reached out. Iris was already gone. 'This is terrible!' Vitani thought.

Scoll swung his claws at Vitani, which Vitani quickly dodged. Vitani swung the bladed end of his staff at Scoll, scratching his arm. Scoll roared out, and his axed-tail came up from behind Vitani unknowingly. "Look out!" Warned Orion. Orion lept down from the large vent, and blocked Scoll's attack. Using his sword, Sol Blade, He'd left a pretty good gash along Scoll's tail.

"**I'll kill you both! Then that Deku is next!**" Scoll roared. He pulled his hurt, bleeding tail back to him, and raised his good one, and swung down, trying to hit Vitani and Orion, but missed.

Orion dodged it. A heavy punch to the gut made Orion cough, but he didn't let it faze him badly, as he came right back up, returning with a heavy high kick to the underneath of Scoll's jaw, a nasty crack sound coming directly after. Scoll cried out. He jumped back, swinging his tails wildly, and spewed hot flames from his mouth. Vitani and Orion couldn't get close enough to him, not without getting burned. "Wait, where's Kyutah?" Vitani asked.

Kyutah walked around and grabbed one of the swords along the wall, most likely from older prisoners who used to be here. She took a slash at Scoll's back, leaving a clean-cut wound going down. This caused Scoll to turn in a blind rage and try to slash Kyutah. She held the sword up and blocked his clawed attack, only hurting himself in the process. Kyutah continued swinging and blocking as Scoll wildly slashed. Orion began to think back. He soon remembered that he'd hit those old large lizalfos from before between the horns back in the cell. That's when an Idea struck Orion. He took off towards Scoll, who had his back turned. Orion dodged Scoll's wild swinging tails, and landed a heavy full-blown kick to the back of his head between the horns.

"GRRROOAAAAaarrr-rr-..." Scoll dropped like a rock.

They all breathed heavily. Orion spoke "Their weak point is the back of their heads between their horns... I think he's... Dead.."

It appeared so, as Scoll wasn't even breathing. Which was a relief to the tired trio.

Vitani looked worried. "We... We've gotta find Iris..."

Orion gazed at Vitani. "Poor girl wouldn't last very long here... You're right."

Kyutah held onto the sword. "So, how about we crack some heads till we find her?"

Orion nodded.

Vitani lead cautiously out of the room.

'huff, huff, huff, huff!'

The sound of rapid pitter-pattering feet was being overlapped by clanging and roaring from behind. "**OH MY GOSH SKITS! WHAT'RE WE GOING TO DO!?**" Iris screamed in terror. Skits flew above her in panic, keeping a close eye of Iris.

Behind her, tons of lizalfos were chasing her angrily as they swung their weapons. She came to a skidding turn as she dashed up a flight of stairs. The fortress was nothing but metal, everywhere. Iris looked over as she ran, running by rooms of which had worn maroon-red stains wiped across the walls, some complete with sets of bones chained to walls. These rooms appeared to be types of cells, or even torture rooms. Her eyes grew wide "We need to get out, now..."

Up the stairs near the top, were a cluster of lizalfos fighting something. Some were being thrown back. She paid little attention to the fight, and kept running. "Wait, Skits, I see a door!" She ran to it, and jumped, grabbing the nob and weakly turning it. The door swung open as she held on. She quickly dropped when she saw the hoard of monsters coming from behind her. Outside was nothing but white! Snow everywhere! "Why is it snowing!? It's in the middle of Summer!" Iris shouted. She was brought back to the terror at the moment upon hearing the angry roars, and continued running along the roof of the fortress. It was slippery from ice, thus, coming to a messy halt as she approached a dead end. The only way out now was too jump off the edge of the fortress to the snow below! It seemed deathly high for her. She looked back to see the angry hoard growing near, and was debating off of what she should do, then came to a final decision. "Skits, next time I think of doing something crazy like this, slap me if you're able, okay?"

Skits looked at her as if she was crazy.

Iris mustered up her courage, and jumped, bracing herself for the worst! The creatures that chased her looked down for a moment, then walked away as if nothing happened, pretty sure she was good as dead.

"aaAAAGGHH**HHH**hhhhhhhh!" She screamed as she fell to the white earth below. Iris squeaked as she hit the ground and rolled along the soft, cold snow. she was bathed in snow by the time she stopped. She popped out of the snow and shook. "Huh... That wasn't that bad, heck, falling out a tree feels worse than that. Though, it was probably thanks to my light body and the deep snow that I didn't get hurt..." Skits came gliding down to her and landed on her head. Iris looked back at the massive fortress, and began thinking about Vitani, Orion and Kyutah. "I hope they're okay... I feel bad that I ran off and left them to fight... But I can't do much, not against brutes like that! And I'd just get in the way..."

She turned, reaching up and petting Skits. She then walked out into the snow, hoping to find shelter of some kind.

She's walked on for a while, but Iris' body wasn't built to handle cold weather, and she didn't think about it until she began feeling ill... Only walking into colder weather. The cold wasn't doing her much good, as it simply made her move slower. The light from her eyes had grown dim, as the intense cold had drained her. And her leaves were starting to look withered. "Skits, you... O-okay...?" She asked weakly. He cawed in response. She nodded "Good..." Iris looked up. Feeling blinded by the brightness of the far beyond ahead of her. The snow that rained down was so thick, she could hardly see through it. Her arms and legs felt weak as her eyes began to dim a little more. She finally surrendered to the weakness in her knees and fell to the ground. She sat on her hands and knees staring weakly at the ground. "I... I can't go on Skits... I can't go much further. You go ahead and find someplace warm." Skits jumped down in the snow. He gave a caw as an expression of fear took to his face. He nudged her arm trying to get her to stand up...

"Go buddy... Don't you worry about me..." Iris said weakly. Her arms began to shake, and she soon fell to lay in the snow. Skits cawed loudly, as if trying to wake her up. He huddled up next to her. A shadow was soon cast over them both. Skits looked up, only seeing this figure's shadow and brown boot...

"Hello? Are you okay? Little Deku Scrub?"

Iris opened her eyes, as her light was returning. When her vision had cleared up, she looked around, spotting a boy in an orange tunic, wearing an orange hat. He had blond hair and orange eyes, and wore a brown belt. "Are you okay?" He asked.

Iris stared for a while before she grew wide eyed "AM I DEAD!?" She spazzed and fell off the surface she'd laid upon.

"Ow... Apparently not..." She corrected herself. The boy leaned over and looked at her with confusion on his face. "Umm..."

Iris scratched her head. "So, who're you?" She asked, as if nothing happened.

"I'm Link. You can just call me Orange, though." he answered with a smile.

'Huh, have I heard the name, _Link_ somewhere? He oddly looks like that kid in the green tunic, I wonder if he's related?' She asked herself. Confusion still clouded her mind. Last thing she remembered was passing out in the snow.

"I found you out in the snow... I brought here, so you can warm up." Orange responded. "Are you okay?" He asked.

Iris chuckled "Aside from the fact I have NO idea where I am. Yes. Cold weather won't do a Deku good, I tell ya'" She glanced at her surroundings as she stood back up. It looked sort of like the Goron city in Death Mountain. But still... Different. She saw the Gorons wandering about.

"What's a little Deku like you doing out here anyway?" Orange asked in concern.

Iris gazed back at Orange. "Oh just taking a little vacation. Need time away from family, get out of the forest..." She joked, trying to light the mood. "Truth be told, I was kidnapped by these weird lizalfos freaks from my home in the Lost Woods... They were looking for something." She soon remembered the others. "Others were captured too... And are still in there."

"That's what happened to me..." Orange began. "I was walking through Hyrule field, then next thing I knew, I was being carried into a fortress in the middle of nowhere by Dragalfos. I got away, though, and came here, where the gorons let me rest up."

Iris was puzzled "Dragalfos?"

"Yes. Apparently, they're much stronger than lizalfos. This is the first time I've seen them. The Gorons told me about them." Orange replied.

"SO." Iris began "Do you know where we are?"

Orange leaned on the table-like stone slab next to him "According to the Gorons, this is the mountain village near Snowpoint, where ever that is..."

"NnnnEVER heard of it..." Iris remarked. "Are we even in Hyrule anymore?"

Orange shrugged "Not a clue. I've never seen this place before in Hyrule, though."

Iris glanced around, then spotted a Goron. "I'll be back..." With that, she scurried over to the big humble-looking Goron. "Hey."

He looked down with a big smile and his beady eyes. "Yes?" Iris breathed in, she really didn't know how to ask the question she was looking for. "Umm... Are we in Hyrule?"

The Goron gawked at her for a while, as if thinking, which began too creep her out. He finally replied "Um, I've never heard of a place like that."

"Ah, okay. Thanks." She walked back to Orange. "We now have a problem..."

"What's wrong?" Orange asked.

"...Well, either that Goron doesn't get out much, or we're now completely lost. He told me he'd never even heard of Hyrule before!" Iris replied.

Orange looked worried. "Then... Where _are_ we?"

"That's what I'm wanting to know." Iris replied. "And more importantly, how're we going to get back to Hyrule?"

Orange sighed. He then looked to Iris, who had a 'thinking hard' expression. She appeared to be deep in thought. "Wait..."

"What?" Orange responded.

"Where's Skits?"

Confusion took too his face "Who?"

"He's a little black bird... He was with me, wasn't he?" Iris said in a worried tone.

"He's fine little one." Spoke an unfamiliar voice.

Iris jumped, then turned. She gazed upon a large Goron who stood high above her and Orange. He was very muscular. His face gave off an intimidating look. He had thick gray facial hair.

Iris' eyes grew wide. She'd never seen such a large Goron.

"You're lucky this young lad found you. You'd be done for, Deku Scrub." The goron said, as he gave Orange a hard pat on the back, making him go 'Oof!' and knocking him over.

Iris leaned down and tried helping Orange back up to his feet. Then gazed at the large Goron once more. "Who... are you?"

"I'm the goron leader, Darmorn." He replied.

"Darmorn, huh? Well, sir. Could I see my friend?" Iris asked.

"Of course." Darmorn replied. "This way."

Iris looked at Orange. "Hey, thanks for saving me back there, I owe ya one."

Orange smiled "You're welcome."

Iris followed Darmorn to a door. As she walked, she gazed around at the rocky scenery and the Goron residents who lived there. Among these giant, rock-eating creatures, stood tiny little Iris, who got plenty of stares. She stuck out- a lot, due to her bright flower petals compared to the bare, colorless ground and walls. Darmorn led her to the main room of which the leader and elders stay, which was empty at the moment, all except one little bundle of sleeping black feathers in a small cloth on the table. Iris noticed right away, and raced towards him. "Skits!"

Skits' head flew up upon hearing his name. He jumped out of the cloth he'd curled up in, flying to Iris. Iris held her arm out, letting him perch on her arm. She rubbed his head. "I'm so glad your okay!" Skits moved up her arm until he reached her shoulder, and rubbed on her.

"You seem quite close to that bird." Darmorn stated.

"He's not just a bird, he's like the brother I never had." Iris corrected.

Darmorn smiled and crossed his arms. "I see. So Deku S-"

"I've got a name, man. It's Iris." Iris corrected once more.

"Okay, Iris, I heard your story back there, about being kidnapped by the Dragalfos." Darmorn said.

Iris nodded. "They're a nasty bunch... they were going to freaking burn me alive for gosh sakes!"

Darmorn spoke. "Well, you and Orange aren't the only ones having trouble with them."

"Oh?" Iris was now interested.

"It wasn't until recently that a swift cold air began blowing from their fortress. It's usually beautiful this time of year, but our beautiful warm village had been covered in a thick snowstorm. It's great harm to us Gorons-"

"And Dekus..." Iris chimed in.

Darmorn continued. "Something like this happened long ago. But this time, it's different. And it all occurred when the Dragalfos leader, Scoll, returned... As to why though leaves me baffled"

"Well, he said he was looking for a fairy I think... I don't think a little fairy could do all this though, could it?"

Darmorn froze. "...A fairy you say?"

"Yeah." Iris replied back.

Concern grew in Darmorn. "I know of only certain types of fairies that have such power."

Iris lifted an eye. "What kind?"

"The great fairies..." Darmorn replied.

"So..." Iris began "You mean those big fairies?"

Darmorn nodded.

Iris looked around "I had no idea they were so strong though... Are you sure?"

"I'm positive."

Iris looked worried and turned her head to Skits, a feeling of guilt fell onto her, feeling that she should return to those she left behind at the fortress. 'If those scales-for-brains can whip up a storm like this, who knows what else they can do... And if my friends back at that place get caught, they'll face fate either way, be it harsh spells like this or being lunch for those Wolfos... And I certainly won't be much help.' Iris stopped in her silent thoughts, gazing up at the ginormous rocky-creature before her. "Unless..." She finished her thought aloud, Darmorn looked upon after doing so.

"Hey Darmorn?" She asked with a pause. "Could you help me?"

Darmorn looked as if he'd be willing to help with anything "With what?"

"Well, I've got some friends back in the fortress, and-"

Back at the Dragalfos Fortress...

Orion had just finished off slaying two Lizalfos. "That's the last of 'em here..." Orion lifted his hands in the air and waved them, waving Vitani and Kyutah over. They were in another cell area. Much darker and damp here. And the smell was enough to make one sick... Who knows what you'd find here. Vitani walked carefully next to the rusty cells, only seeing the bones or remains of those who once resided there, as if now forgotten by the savage reptiles. "That's just sickening… They could at least dispose of the bodies..." He quietly commented, it was hardly even a whisper.

Kyutah and Orion walked ahead. Orion had his eyes open for any hidden unneeded "Guests" as Kyutah simply examined, such as Vitani did.

"...*mumble mumble*..." Came a sudden indistinct voice from within the dark.

The trio jumped, assuming quick battle positions. Again came the mumbling, but a little louder... And more, human?

"*Mumble* Lizards, I'd get *mumble*..." It was a female's voice, and she didn't sound very happy at all, actually ticked off- VERY. She continued the rant to herself about the reptilian creatures. Vitani peeked through countless cells until spotting a woman locked in one. "Hello?"

She jumped once he'd spoke, and looked startled, hoping it wasn't a lizalfos. But to her relief- and surprise, it wasn't. "Oh, hello..." She spoke, trying to hide her startled tone.

"I guess we weren't the only ones captured..." Orion said to himself, he then looked through the cell door "How long have you been here?"

The young woman looked up. "About a day now. My guess is you were captured as well?"

Orion gave a nod in response. He then turned to Vitani "You still got Iris' hair pin?"

Vitani nodded, then grabbed the hair pin and picked the lock on the cell door. "It seems these are older cells, the locks are just like our shackle locks." The old rusted lock that had been connected to the chains holding the cell shut had hit the floor, as did Iris' now bent up hair clip. Vitani took on an 'oops..' expression briefly before his attention was brought back to the young woman in the cell. She stood, luckily, she wasn't shackled like Vitani and the others had been.

She stepped out "Thank you, it was getting a little lonely down here, and the smell only makes things worse."

"It's no problem." Vitani replied.

Orion began "Are you okay?"

She nodded 'Yes' as she dusted herself off. "Might I ask of your names?"

"I'm Vitani."

Orion put away his weapon. "Names Orion."

"And I'm Kyutah." She said as she smiled lightly.

"Nice to meet you all." The young woman paused "You can call me Grayson."

"It's a pleasure to meet you ma'am." Orion said as he bowed slightly.

Kyutah looked around as clanging of armor could be heard coming down toward the cells. "We got company!"

"C'mon!" Orion whispered as he began head deeper into the darkness of the catacombs. The others followed closely. Two lizalfos guards came walking down through the catacombs. One began "Those humans are smarter than I thought..." He said in a gritty, in-human tone "And did you hear? They brought some kind of beast in today... It was tearing everyone apart, aparently, it's still here too."

The other guard replied " I swear, the youths these days just keep getting dumber and dumber... The boss instructed them to find the great fairies, not mortals or beasts."

They walked right on passed the open cell Grayson was once in, without even noticing her absense. They made a left turn toward a staircase that led to a lower floor.

With the group of escapees, they were now wondering through a tunnel that they'd met with at the end of the catacombs. "I really appreciate it you guys, thanks for getting me out of there." Grayson said her thanks once more.

"It was no problem. Do you know if anyone else is here is trapped?" Vitani replied with a question.

Gryason shook her head "No, not that I'm aware of."

"That's a relief." Kyutah said.

They continued down the tunnel hoping to see light eventually, but only ran into more turns. With sword in hand and facing forward, Orion walked steadily through the dark as he was now leading.

As Orion walked, a crunch beneath his foot had caught his attention. He looked down at his boot, noticing a sticky clear and white goop stuck to his boot. "What is that?" He questioned. he looked down where he'd stepped, and noticed a setting of small white broken shards covered in the same substance, taking a closer look, they had very light green spots. Slowly, he looked ahead, and squinted his eyes to get a better look ahead. Orion cursed under his breath as he stepped back. For as long as he could see, down the dark tunnel were countless eggs of the vicious beasts they were trying to escape from. "This can't be good..."

With care, they walked through the darkness, stepping over the eggs, which Grayson could've sworn she'd heard a few make noises, making her all the more eager to hurry on through.

"The tunnel gets so much bigger as it goes on." Vitani spoke, walking around a slightly larger egg.

Orion slipped around the other side. "Well, it's probably for whatever the heck laid this egg... I don't want to stick around and see what it is."

The girls followed closely behind them both.

Time passed, as they all managed to get quite a way through the large tunnel, which was now more like a ginormous cavern. Vitani yawned. The long walk and darkness had made him tired. "Goodness... I can't wait to see the sun again..."

Orions face lit with a slight smirk "I don't think you'll have to wait long, look!" He sheathed his sword, and ran ahead.

"Wait for us Orion!" Grayson shouted, jumping into a sprint behind him, as did Vitani and Kyutah. A large light began to draw closer with each highly spaced step.

"WHOA! Hold up!" Orion shouted as he came to a sudden stop. Vitani nearly fell onto Orion trying to stop.

"What?" Asked Vitani.

Grayson walked up "What the-..."

Kyutah looked quite confused.

There were two ways here, one was the way outside into a large yard with a huge fortress fence that kept everything in. It was the weather that left everyone baffled however. Blank white - besides the fence and the few dead trees - covered everything. Snow fell everywhere and as far as the eye could see, which wasn't far due to the thickness of it all.

"Um, wasn't it Summer?" Vitani questioned.

Grayson replied "Last time I checked."

Orion put his hand out, and caught some snow in his hand. "Somethings not right, now I'm sure of it."

The other direction was a tunnel that led even deeper, and within, a sudden crash echoed through the large tunnel.

Vitani held out his staff as he looked back "What was that!?"

"I don't know..." Orion replied as he turned to the tunnel behind them. Within it, was another light, but it wasn't very bright. He muttered to himself "Hey, I'm going to go check it out..."

"I'm going too." Vitani added.

Grayson and Kyutah turned and followed. Grayson caught up "You're not going without us."

As they drew closer, angry shouting began echoing through the tunnel.

"This is the end of the line I guess..." Kyutah stated. A locked gate blocked the rest of the way. Though, further down the hall on the other side of the gate was one of the dragalfos. He was shouting and roaring at a handful of lizalfos "**How could you let this happen!? I mean- How did such a simple weak creature escape!?**"

"She was very fast..." One of the lizalfos spoke.

The dragalfos put his hand over his face and sighed. "Well, it's not like we needed her, she's good as dead out there anyway." He turned, facing a glowing orb floating above an old broken shrine. "I called you all here to tell you our leader was nearly struck down, and many of our kind were killed today when they arrived with a captive. This _creature_ alone is strong, but those who almost struck down our leader were mere humans. I need you to capture them, and bring them to our leader, for it is he who decides their fate..." He gazed back at the group with him now. "Thanks to the spirit of the Great Fairy-" He lifted his clawed hand to point at the orb on display in the room "we were able to revive our commander before it was too late. I'm sure you all already know that our Master has planned to capture the Great Fairies- _all_ of them. Soon, we will have the final fairy... Then, Termina is ours! With these faires, we can be given great power, magic and riches, and even immortality! Just capturing one gave us our knowledge, now look at us! We're not mere monsters fighting each other for the last scrap of meat in a dungeon... We have an army, and our army is nearly complete."

"This is bad..." Orion said under his breath.

Vitani gazed in at the fairy spirit "How could they capture the spirit of the fairy though? And... What's Termina?"

"We need to get in once they're gone. My- **Mmmmm!?**" Kyutah began, but was cut off.

Orion threw his head back towards Kyutah "**Kyutah!? Hold- Ugh!**"

Goron Village

"**ARE YOU NUTS!?**" Iris exclaimed in horror.

"Well... It's our only way of getting in Iris. You want to save your friends, don't you?" Darmorn asked.

Iris crossed her arms and sat back "Yeah, but why do _I_ have to be bait?"

Orange looked at Iris with a smile, as he tried to lift her spirits "I'll bet you wont get caught, After that story you told me about you escaping the fortress, I'll bet you could easily out run them anyway."

Iris chuckled "Well, I AM fast."

"Alright, don't get a big head now." Darmorn continued "If they really are the reason why we're having this bad storm, then the only way we can stop it is if we stop them."

Iris and Orange nodded.

Darmorn smirked and crossed his arms "So, you two go get prepared... Because things'll be getting rough once we get there."

Fear collected inside of Iris. She was terrified of those fire-breathing beasts. Not exactly an enemy she'd want to find herself facing someday. But now she was to come face-to-face with a whole clan of them "This is going to be bad... I can already feel it..."

Darmorn left, as he called some of the strongest goron warriors to the main chamber.

"You coming Iris?" Orange asked as he put his sword in it's scabbard, and grabbed his shield.

Iris' eyes fell. "I'm afraid so. I shouldn't have left them back at the fortress, and it wouldn't feel right leaving them there..."

Orange put his hand on her shoulder "Don't worry, Iris. We'll save them."

An expression of thanks captivated her face. "Thanks, Orange."

The young hero nodded, Then he walked off. Iris remained still for a moment, before realizing she probably should grab some sort of weapon. But from where is what kept her from doing so. "Oh great, it's the whole "_Find the weapons_ thing again..." She grumbled to herself as she walked off. She explored every inch of the top floor of the cave-like village, but found nothing but rocks. Iris groaned as she walked down to the lower level.

She searched everywhere. Up, down, left, right... Just rocks and other unneeded things. She sighed, just before something caught her eye. A doorway.

"Hm..." She approached it as she walked through "... Hey! It's a shop!" Her tone grew in excitement, as she eyed the items across the wooden table. "There's bombs, and arrows, those would be useful. If I had a bomb bag and a bow… Hey… It's a slingshot! And there's rocks everywhere… Perfect..." She gazed across. "120 rupees!? I don't even have 20!" Just then, a little well-known instinct of hers kicked in. She looked around, when apparently noticing no one was here at the moment, all she saw was a big bolder behind the table. "This'll be like taking candy from a baby... I'll just 'borrow' this..." She ended in a sly tone. She reached up for the for the slingshot, intending to just take it.

"Hey Deku Scrub!"

Iris jumped and froze in mid-reach, her leaves twitching nervously.

"You have to pay for that!" Spoke the voice again.

She unfroze slightly as she glanced at her surroundings. "Uhh...?"

A bit of movement from behind the table caught her attention, that so called bolder was actually a curled-up goron! Apparently, the shop keeper, who heard her state she'd 'borrow' the slingshot. "You can't just take stuff..."

Iris slowly lowered her hand, and gazed up at the goron. "Um... Well, it's sort of an emergency..."

"Emergency or not, you still need to pay..." He glared down at her.

"Ughh..." She reached for the small wallet that was tied to her waist, which was turned to the back of her and sat hidden behind her long leafy-hair. She pulled it around, and reached into it, pulling out only 16 rupees... "As you can see, I'm a bit broke here..." The whole 'buying' thing made her feel weird, seeing as she usually doesn't get caught taking things.

"If it's such an emergency little deku, then I'll be willing to make a trade too." The goron stated.

Iris perked up a bit "Really now? And what is it you'd be interested in trading the slingshot for?"

"Just some of the best rock in the village!" The goron replied, looking delighted at the thought.

Iris stared for a while thinking 'Best rock, why would- OH! They eat rocks, forgot that...' She crossed her arms "And where would you find this _rock_?"

The goron looked a bit surprised. "You'll do it?" The goron then pointed "Follow the trail out of here, make a left, and there will be a tunnel, through there, we've found a very tasty type of rock that only the goron leaders can eat. I've always wanted to try it, just a taste would make me happy."

"Say no more. Taking without permission is my specialty." Iris replied jokingly. She made a quick run out of the shop. It seems Darmorn called all the gorons to the main chamber above, so there were no gorons around to witness her go into the leader's tunnel. She snuck in.

"Only problem is: What does it look like...?" She asked herself. She walked deeper, as she noticed the chunks of rock on the wall began getting darker and- shinier...? "I guess this is it?" She pointed her gaze deeper into the tunnel, noticing that chunks are torn from the walls and laying scattered on the ground. "How can any living thing eat rock?" She reached down and grabbed a small piece. "This looks like it'll be enough to get me my slingshot."

She turned, and began to reach the light that was the start of the tunnel. "Whoa...!" She quickly ran back in once she reached the exit. Two very large gorons who were covered in tribal tattoos walked by.

'I _know_ I'm in trouble if I get caught by them...' Her thoughts rang.

They walked passed, not even noticing her. She made a quick "Huh." before running back out, and back into the shop. "Okay, heres you stupid rock, can I have it now...?"

The goron politely and slowly took the rock and examined, then gasped.

"This better not be the wrong rock, 'cause I'm not going back in there and taking a chance of my wooden hide getting chewed out..." Iris said, as she cut her eyes slightly.

He gazed at the rock, then bit down with a loud "**Crunch**" that made Iris shiver, still wondering how they can't break their teeth doing that. "It's..."

"...Yesss...?" She began growing impatient.

The goron continued with "It's... Not really as good as they say.

Iris almost hit the floor "What!?"

"Though, you risked a lot doing that for me. Thank you little deku, it's still good." He smiled big "Here." He handed her the slingshot.

Iris seemed a bit puzzled. "But it might not even be the right rock, and you're still giving it to me?"

"Of course." He leaned in closer to give her the slingshot, and free with the slingshot was a pouch to hold ammo in.

"Wow... Thanks." Iris thanked gradually, then left.

Iris sat down at the edge of a rock bench. She then reached for the rope that was tied around the top of the ammo bag, and tied the rope in a knot so she could hang it around her, "These rocks aren't as heavy as I thought they'd be."

She then leaned back, growing bored quick, then soon tired. Next thing she knew, she was waking up atleast thirty minutes later to the sound of heavy footsteps. Gorons were heading to the main door that led out of the village, Darmorn leading. Orange stood close, with sword in hand. "It's time to go Iris."

It didn't take her long to realize that he meant they were now heading out to storm the Dragalfos fortress, which caused her to grow nervous again. But she stood despite her fear, and approached them all, mainly staying with Orange. Skits came flying towards her, landing on her head. "Well buddy..." She began "Today, we might die..."

Skits was hoping for something encouraging, but remained quiet.

"But, either way, we're doing something good for once."

Darmorn curled up, then jumped, slamming down on the ground, causing the whole place to shake, and making Iris and Orange nearly fall over. Just as he hit the ground, the door ahead opened. "Let's go." Darmorn ordered.

Iris was not prepared, this may not be much to the gorons, seeing as they're quite the fighters. But Iris was a frail Deku, so this was a dangerous task. But today, it was 'Do or Die'... She walked out with the large group of gorons, facing the cold blizzard once more.

Orange looked down to Iris "Be careful Iris, I don't want you passing out again."

"I'll be fine Orange, I _will_ make it..." Iris sighed. "Thanks for the concern though."

They continued on as the group trudged through the blizzard. Iris had to stay between the group to stay slightly warmer.

For what felt like several hours- which was actually thirty minutes, Iris and Orange saw the fortress ahead, as it grew into view the closer they came.

Once reaching the wall gates, Darmorn looked to a warrior, before giving a slight nod. The warrior stepped up, examining the wall gate's lock, before grabbing it, and completely ripping it off the iron gate. Iris' eyes grew wide upon seeing the brute strength of the goron. Darmorn gazed at Orange and Iris. "Okay, you two head in. Orange, rid the dragalfos guard at the front gate, their weak point is the back of the head between the horns."

Orange nodded before taking off towards within the fortress grounds. Darmorn turned to Iris. "Iris, you know what to do."

"Y-yeah..." She shivered. She watched a battle take place between Orange and the dragalfos. He rolled to the back, slashing his sword upward when he came back up from behind the beast, slicing it's back. It screeched before leaning down, giving Orange a chance to send a heavy kick to the back of it's head, instantly killing it. He waved his hands at Iris.

"Here we go Skits." She said with a slight tone of worry. She walked into the fortress grounds, as she approached the gate, briefly gazing at Orange, then turned back to the gates once more. Walking through the cracked entrance, not prepared for the thousands of lizalfos and dragalfos possibly waiting on the other side...

To Be Continued...

* * *

_Vitani belongs to TheCrimsonKyuubi on DeviantART._

_Kyutah belongs to sarcasticAquarium on DeviantART._

_Orion belongs to kingofdarkness17 on DeviantART._

_Grayson belongs to InsanityStories on DeviantART._

_Orange belongs to TeaiX on DeviantART._


	3. Chapter 3

"... Well... I wasn't expecting _this..._" The little Deku Scrub girl began. "Where is everyone!? I was expecting, oh, I don't know, to be jumped by a bunch of scales-for-brains by now."

She glanced around at the inside of the fortress. It was completely empty, aside from a couple dead lizalfos laying on the ground, which caused Iris to give a silent "Ew..." It looked like they were attacked with claws, not weapons. As their armer had clean slices going through them.

She began to step forward, growing farther from the safety that was the exit. "Something's not right Skits... There were thousands of 'em last time, I could've sworn it."

The black bird, Skits, that was perched on her head gave a low bird-like moan in agreement.

"...Vitani?" She called "Orion...? Kyutah...? Are y'all here...?" ... Silence was all that she got as a reply, as she continued her steps forward. Then suddenly, a chill of discomfort ran through her. This completely screwed up the plan that the goron leader had... To start it off, Iris needed to lead all the lizalfos away, but there _were_ none… She guessed that was a good thing, since no one was in here. They could just run right in now, right? An other-worldly gurgling began growing louder, as it echoed through the empty fortress. Iris took a step back as she began to panic. "Uhh..."

_Stomp_..._stomp_...**_stomp_**! The loud stomp grew closer. The sound of large claws clicking the floor with each step... Then a sudden utter silence fell onto the room once more.

"What in then name of Din...?" Iris questioned under her voice.

"**Groooaaarrrr!**"

"YIPE-!" Iris squeaked, nearly falling backwards. The large steps began growing once more, this time, at a faster pace. From a corner, peaked the large head of a dragon-like monster! It was no lizalfos, nor did it seem like a dragalfos. It was wyvern-like. It had two back legs and no front legs, and sported two large wings. It's horns curled around it's head. It's unusual features were it's _four_ eyes! All of which had it's sights set on the little brown deku scrub below it. It growled and gurgled as it sniffed towards her.

Iris was now scared mindless, shaking mildly. "If I get out alive, I'll _kill_ Darmorn... STUPID PLAN!" She shouted as she began to back up against the wall.

"H-hey... look big guy, when I said scales-for-brains earlier, I wasn't p-pointing it at you... Y-you look like a sociable guy-er girl…" She peaked down at it's underbelly for a moment, then looked back up at it. "What ever you are... So maybe we could just forget we met, and leave our own ways?"

It roared loudly, lunging down soon after, snapping it's jaws at Iris. She hopped out of the way, as Skits flew up. "I'll take that as a _no_!" quickly, she headed for the hall the beast had come from. It didn't take long for it to realize where she'd gone, and soon began persute. "**Help!**" Iris screamed. She looked back, as she saw it catching up quickly.

"...What.. Is that...?" She asked with worry in her tone. Inside it's mouth, she saw sparks. "Oh gosh... _It can breathe fire!_"

Just as she'd finnished, a large stream of fire came shooting from it's mouth, and onto the floor next to Iris. She screamed and hopped away, and turned down into a room ahead. The beast attempted to follow her, but the room was to small for it to even get it's head in. It breathed fire once more. Iris was squeezed up in a small corner, as far from the flames as possible. The beast eventually gave up, and left.

Iris shakily looked back out, to find it was all clear. She looked back towards the entrance... All was quiet again. "W-what was that about...? That thing wasn't here before, Skits..." She walked out, dusting herself off. Skits hopped out behind her.

"C'mon, forget the goron's stupid plans, I'm finding the others.

As she continued down the hallway once more, her fiery colored orbs were set ahead of herself as she listened to her quiet steps. It seemed the walk went on forever. She was paranoid that dragon would show up again, though. That still worried her, because there were no signs before of a large dragon living in the stronghold before. Skits, as usual, perched up on her head, watching behind Iris. He suddenly shot his head up and made low caw.

"What is it buddy?" Iris asked. Skits hopped off her head and onto the floor, and pointed his beak toward a room further down. With caution, she stepped closer to the room ahead. "Do I hear... Fighting?" Before she could open the busted up door, the wall next to the door came crashing open into a rubbled mess, as a lizalfos was thrown out into the hall. Iris' eyes grew upon seeing the lizard-like creature being thrown through the wall.

Iris slowly looked back to the hole in the wall, as a hand with extremely sharp claws stepped out of the dust that was kicked up. The figure of a large creature had grown visible. Gripping the wall was a paw-padded hand, equipped with sharp knife-like claws. The features in the face? A long muzzle complete with sharp canines. It appeared to be a type of biped wolf. It's thick-furred tail swung back and forth vigorously. It's fur was dark red with a black muzzle, underbelly, and black coated it's arms and legs.

Iris stuttered and stumbled aback until she fell backwards.

"W-w-wolfos!? It's h-huge!" Her distinct fear of the creatures left her terrified of the sight before her, as this creature gazed down at her. It's crimson orbs looked over her as it snorted lightly, as if catching it's breath after the fight. It seemed a bit roughed up, but no serious wounds. Iris backed up more, still laying on the dusty floor. The wolf bent down to look at Iris. Skits could a see kindness in the wolf's eyes, and hopped to it as he cocked his head slightly.

Iris closed her eyes as she shook. "Just get it over with!"

"Get what over with?"

Iris peeked an eye open, before looking ahead of her. Bent down in front of her now was a woman dressed in blue, black and red. She bore the Triforce symbol on her clothes above her chest. She had long red hair and had six black feathers that were on each side of her head in her hair. She had the same crimson eyes the wolf had, however.

"W-where'd that wolfos go...?" Iris stuttered in question.

"Lycan, actually." The woman kindly corrected. She reached a hand out to Iris. "That was me... Sorry if I scared you."

Iris gazed up at her, before nervously taking her hand. "Y-you?!"

She helped Iris to her feet. "My name is Ryuko."

Iris looked down at Skits, then looked back up at Ryuko "Um, I'm Iris."

Ryuko walked back into the room that the lizalfos was once in. Iris followed close behind. "So uh, how'd you end up here?"

"These lizalfos captured me." Ryuko replied.

"Same with me. Though, I escaped." Iris replied.

Ryuko looked back "Then why'd you come back?"

"To save some friends of mine. I shouldn't have left them here." Iris replied with guilt in her tone.

Ryuko drew her attention ahead once more. "I'm looking for some people too. I'd met with four others in the underground tunnels, they were under attack by lizalfos and dragalfos. We were seperated though, when a dragon attacked."

Iris simply listened. She soon spoke however "Was there a purple haired guy with them? He could use spells and stuff?"

Ryuko approached a corner that led two ways, one down stairs and one up stairs. "Vitani?"

"So you know them!" Iris stopped. "Wait, four?"

Ryuko gave a small nod "A woman about my age was with them, her name was Grayson."

"I guess they met her after I split." Iris replied.

Ryuko and Iris turned to the stair case leading up. "This place is huge. I wonder how long it's been here?" Ryuko asked.

"Don't know. What I want to know is where all lizalfos went." Iris replied back.

Ryuko began closing in on the end of the stair case above. "That I can't answer I'm afraid- aside from the ones I killed, of course."

Once on the top floor, they examined the surrounding area, checking for any of the fortress dwellers. It was abandoned, as everything was dusty and covered in cobwebs. "I've got a better place than this, and I live in tree..." Iris stated.

"None of this has been used recently, I don't think we'll find anything up here." Ryuko said as she wiped her hand across a busted up weapon rack, leaving her hand covered in dust.

Iris looked around, then continued forward.

Ryuko caught a familiar scent in the air using her lycan senses. "Hold up..." Ryuko looked around "There's something above us, Iris, C'mon!" She took to her Lycan form, and lifted Iris up off the ground, and climbed the wall. Iris grew wide eyed the further they got off the ground.

Sure enough, Ryuko had found a hidden area above them behind an old torn flag high up the rugged rocky wall. She ripped the flag off, and climbed into the tunnel. Iris dusted herself off when Ryuko sat her down. "Wow, you're good!"

Ryuko detransformed. "Thank you." They continued through the hidden passage. Silence befell the whole way through. It was a long walk. The tunnel was empty and seemed to have been forgotten long ago. It appeared a couple fights had taken place up here, due to some carcasses. Ryuko spotted light shining through another bit of cloth ahead, another flag no doubt. Iris was holding Skits and scratching his neck.

Ryuko grabbed the torn up flag and moved it out of her view, to see a huge chamber ahead.

"Well, I found all the of them."

crowded into the chamber, were the hundreds of the missing beasts. "It's huge in here... Things aren't looking too good, this is one big army they got." Iris said. She gazed over, and looked into a hall way as a dragalfos had been forcing someone into the room. "Hey, Look!" She pointed out. "It's Orion!" Iris looked down.

"What're you doing Iris!" Ryuko asked. Iris began climbing down the wall "Get back here, wait!" Ryuko continuously looked out, to make sure no one saw her. She realized if she were to follow Iris, the dragalfos would notice her. And seeing the count of this army, she would just wear herself out trying to fight.

Iris weaved through the countless beasts unnoticed, thanks to size, and ran into the room.

Ryuko turned, figuring there might be another way of getting to her without running into trouble.

Iris hid when she saw the dragalfos walk back through, then once he was out of sight, she made a break for the end of the hall. At the end of the hall, she came to a door around the corner. "Shoot..." Iris quickly zipped back behind the corner and groaned. There were two lizalfos guarding the door. "Is there an end to these things?" She whispered.

She then gazed down at Skits "Why don't we give 'em the ol' run-around?" Iris asked. If she could show expression with her mouth, she'd have a wicked smile on right now to match her tone.

Skits gave a nod, before flying out toward the two lizalfos' guarding the door, and began to poke and peck at them. In a rage, they took off after the bird as he flew away down into the another room. Iris chuckled, walking to the door as if she'd just accomplished something big. She jumped off the ground to grab the door knob, and weakly turned it. The door slowly swung open, and just then, she let go of the door knob, and continued her way through.

Vitani looked up and sighed. "Another cell... Wonderful."

Once again, the four: Vitani, Orion, Kyutah and Grayson, found themselves bound in chains in yet another cell, except it was a little cleaner.

"I'm growing fed up with this." Grayson said as she moved a stick around the dirt below her.

Kyutah nodded "You're not the only one."

Orion gazed outside the cell, as if thinking of a way to get out.

"Hello!?" Called a familiar squeaky voice.

Vitani suddenly rose his head "Huh?"

Orion seemed to look up some, before realizing who he'd heard.

Around the corner came the small Deku Scrub girl in her bright petal clothes. Her eyes lit with excitement when she spotted the four.

"Y'all are alright!" Iris shouted with glee in her voice.

A smile spread across Vitani's face "Iris! It's so good to see you!"

"What do you know!" Kyutah added in.

Orion smiled "It seems you're okay."

Grayson gazed out "You all know her?"

Vitani looked to Grayson "We were all stuck in the same cell when I was brought here."

Skits came gliding back in.

Iris crossed her arms "Now, to break you all out... How?"

Skits dropped a shining thing on the floor in front of Iris. She glanced down at it, and picked it up "Keys?"

She gave a quick glance at Skits "You little thief you." A chuckle mixed with her tone. Skits gave a 'proud' pose.

With keys in hand, she stood on her toes, just barely getting the key in the key hole. Iris removed the key once the door came open, and ran into the cell. She went from all four, unlocking the shackles. "You all helped me, so I plan on helping you."

Once she released Grayson, she gazed up to her and asked. "You must be Grayson?"

She smiled lightly "Yes, how'd you know?"

"A friend told me, nice meeting you." Iris finished.

Grayson bent down and shook her hand "Likewise."

Vitani stepped to Iris. "Where've you been? We searched pretty far for you."

Iris blinked "You were searching for me...?" She seemed a bit taken aback at first, before answering his question. "I was able to escape... I felt awful leaving you all here though, so I came back. And even brought the Goron tribe and a friend of mine named Orange. They're somewhere around the fortress grounds, they had a plan, but I _kinda'_ ditched it and came looking for you all." Iris paused and kicked the dirt at her feet "Sorry for leaving you all behind, I should've stayed..."

Vitani listened closely, before smiling once more "It's okay, you had me worried though. Glad you're okay!" He paused, then spoke "I say we find the goron tribe and Orange, and get out of here!"

Joy filled Iris at the moment "Agreed! Termina is driving me mad, I want to go back to Hyrule."

**SLAM!**

Iris jumped, and hid behind Vitani. It seemed her courage faded a little.

The door Iris had entered through was now closed tightly, and stalking toward the five were the two lizalfos guards. "The little brat and her flying rat, I see you've returned..." One cackled.

"Hey!" Iris snapped "He's a bird, not a rat... Idiot..."

Orion unsheathed his sword.

Vitani, with his hands free now from the shackles, grabbed his staff, conjuring up a wind spell. "Everyone stay behind me!"

Vitani set forth a enormous gust of wind, knocking the guards off their feet. And now that they were off guard, Vitani signaled those behind him to run.

In the midst of their escape, Grayson felt a tight grip grab her leg. She looked down, as one of the lizalfos were trying to pull her down. Orion took his sword and jabbed it's tail when he came running by, causing the lizalfos to release Grayson with a shriek. Grayson soon followed everyone out. Orion shut the door behind him, and locked it.

"Now what!?" Iris shouted. flooding in from the halls, were lizalfos, all being led by a few dragalfos. "Gosh, de-ja-vu!" Iris stated, looking back on the time she was surrounded by guards in Hyrule Castle a while back.

Before the five were sandwiched between the hoard of beasts, every single lizalfos stopped, as did the dragalfos. They all looked to the wall above the escapees. There was pounding behind it. Dust fell off the bricks with each pound. Kyutah looked up. "Everyone, move!"

With that, they moved just in time to miss a ton of bricks collapsing onto the floor. The lizalfos stepped back, seeing the black and red lycan, known as Ryuko, peering down at them through the hole in the wall, growling, her canines gleamed in the bit of light that was in the room. Knowing her strength, they ran in fear.

"_Where are you going cowards!?_" A dragalfos roared. He looked back up to have claws swipe across his face, throwing him to the floor as he roared in pain.

"Get the chief, now!" Another one called. It was soon that the beasts all fled.

Grayson looked up to Ryuko "Thank you!"

Ryuko nodded with a growl. She then pointed to the hole she broke through the wall. One by one, she helped them all get into the tunnel that the hole led into.

She climbed in right after them, and de-transformed. "Is everyone okay!?"

Iris looked down upon hearing clamoring. Now, there were more dragalfos than before coming. "I think check ups will have to wait!" She quickly went running, the others following.

"Follow them!" A dragalfos roared out.

One by one, dragalfos climbed into the tunnel hole, and taking chase.

Iris huffed with each panicked step, she'd look back occasionally to see everyone was still right behind her, but not too far back from them, were the angry dragon-like beasts. Iris threw her view towards the front of her once more, spotting the bones of some unlucky person, but also next to it were two old rusted blades. Once she came close enough, she reached down, and grabbed one- lifting with effort due to being heavy. "Everyone, get out of the way!" Iris shouted.

Vitani was about to ask why, but stopped himself upon noticing Iris holding the blade, figuring she was about to do something dangerous- stupid even. Everyone ran ahead, than stopped.

Iris gave a hard swing to the blade, aiming for a dragalfos' chest, though, only hitting it's leg. It stumbled forward with a pained cry, and soon fell. Others behind it had stumbled over the injured dragalfos, forming a jam in their chase.

"Go everyone!" Iris shouted, as she began pushing everyone forward again. Ryuko was at the front now, then spotted a two way tunnel. "Follow me!" Ryuko made a sharp turn down one of the darkened tunnel ways.

Once the dragalfos got back to their feet and began the chase again, their prey was now gone. They pushed forward anyway, passing the other tunnel that the six had turned into.

Iris clung to Vitani. The only thing that could be seen in the dark tunnel now was Iris' glowing eyes, and Kyutah's slight glow. Ryuko being a wolf of sorts, could see fine in the dark.

"We're never getting out of this stupid fortress..." Iris muttered, holding Skits in her arms.

Vitani looked down where the glowing eyes were "Don't say that, I'm sure we'll be out of here before you know it."

"I hope you're right..." Iris replied.

Orion stuck close to the front, surveying the dark around him, keeping an eye out for any speck of light that meant an exit.

Ryuko continued onward, when something caught her attention "Anyone hear that?"

"No." Orion replied.

Grayson looked around "Hear what?"

"I'm not really sure, it sounds like... hissing. It's far ahead." Ryuko replied. "Wait, I smell a bomb..."

Everyone stopped in their tracks. Iris made a high-pitched squeak upon hearing that. "A bomb!?"

Ryuko backed up. "Everyone run back!"

"You don't have to tell me twice!" Iris responded. They all turned back. Upon the sound of an exploding crash, the whole place was shaking now. Ryuko ducked and covered her face from falling dust, then looked toward where the sound came from. Now far down, there was a gaping hole in the wall. Also, loads of... Gorons? "What the?" Ryuko said to herself. "Gorons?"

Iris stopped. "The gorons!? What're they doing!?" She turned her form to the way of the smoking hole in the wall. Iris began toward the hole.

"Wait, Iris, come back!" Vitani shouted. It was official: Iris doesn't know how to listen to anyone...

Skits was now closely behind Iris in the air as she began approaching the fresh hole. Once there, she tried catching her breath as she peered out at the many gorons. The only person with them that actually stuck out was the hylian in the orange tunic, Orange himself. Iris turned back to everyone within the tunnel "Hey, over here!" She waved them over.

Orange looked up at the tunnel, and spotted Iris. "Hey, you're alright!"

The deku girl turned "Of course I'm all right, you didn't think I'd give in that easily, did you?" She then gazed out at Darmorn. "What're you doing, blowing holes in the wall, you trying to give away where you are?!"

Darmorn laughed "My tribe can take a few lizards, we've fought them before."

Iris facepalmed herself "You don't understand Darmorn, there's more here than you think, there's a whole army in here!"

The others caught up with Iris, and gazed out.

"Are those who you were looking for?" Orange asked.

Iris nodded. "Now, let's just get out of here please? I've had enough chaos for one day, and I'm not sure how much more I can take..."

"Same here." Vitani agreed. He approached the open hole, and began climbing down the pile of rocks outside of it. Others were soon to follow. Iris had a hard time climbing down, seeing as how she was so small. Some of the rocks were as big as her, or even bigger. Ryuko reached up, and helped her down.

"Heh, thanks." Iris thanked thoughtfully.

"Anytime." Ryuko replied.

As everyone greeted eachother, Iris looked out into the cold nothingness that laid beyond the gates at the front of the fortress. "...How far are we from Hyrule I wonder..." Iris asked herself. "Wa-ACK!" Iris exclaimed.

"Iris!?" Orange shouted, unsheething his sword. He gazed up at the large dragalfos holding her suddenly. Where the beast came from, no one knew.

The blood-stained armored dragalfos pulled her to where she was held face-to-face with him "It was all fun and games first, but it seems your little friends know too much about our plans to let them go. And as for you, I believe you're the one who sent my men on that wild goose-chase, hmm? Knowing that you're helping these rats escape, I'd say your quite the threat to us. And now you've even brought the goron tribe... Quite a lot of trouble for a deku scrub."

"Y-you shouldn't judge me by my size, S-Scoll!" Iris tried showing as much of her courage.

The dragalfos cackled "Scoll? No. He's merely working for me."

Iris didn't know any better, all the dragalfos looked alike to her.

"Then who're you?" Orion growled, pointing his blade, Sol Blade.

"Someone who's name is of no importance to you. I'm the chief of the dragalfos clan, and that's all I'm willing to tell you." The dragalfos growled. He used his hand and clinched it into a fist, it was then that Orion had been forced to the ground by a strange force. "Wh-!" Orion tried lifting himself up, but the pressure of the force being thrown down on him was enough to make him wheeze. Iris wriggled and fought "Gah! Let him go you jerk!" but his grip was only tightened. "I've had enough of you." He soon grew bored of the deku scrub, and threw her across the snow and into the fortress wall. She gave a pained squeak on impact, and while her vision began to blur, she could see the blured forms of dragalfos swarming around the area.

"Scoll, you know what to do." The dragalfos chief said, before he strangely vanished in thin air, leaving behind dark energy in his place for a few moments. And soon enough, everything died out as Iris passed out.

"...Orion...?" Iris asked, she was a bit drousy. She was waking and looked ahead. She was still outside. It look like outside the fortress. It was fenced in though. She looked up at the sky. The sun was setting. "Hello?"

Iris glanced side to side, trying to find her friends. She eventually saw them scattered about around her. "Orange...? Orion, Kyutah, Vitani!?" They were quiet though. Iris saw that Grayson and Ryuko were out like lights. Everyone looked like they were asleep. Iris shook Vitani. "Hey, c'mon... Wake up." She turned and did the same thing to Orange "What's wrong!?" Iris turned to Orion, then Kyutah. Then tried waking Grayson and Ryuko. "Anyone!?"

"Your efforts are pointless." called a gritty voice, quite recognizable.

"Scoll..." Iris growled. "What've you done to them!?"

Scoll was up on a high ledge, as many dragalfos and lizalfos had surounded the ledge next to him, as if waiting for something entertaining.

"It's a sleep spell. It doesn't seem to work on you, though. How interesting."

"A sleep spell?" She asked.

Scoll scoffed. "Thanks to the great fairy's power." He patting a glass orb that was hooked to his side.

Iris growled, hiding her fear "Where are the gorons!?"

"Don't worry about them. They currently have their hands full with my soldiers." Scoll added "But I've had enough with the waiting. I think they've been waiting long enough as well."

Iris froze. "They...?"

Scoll chuckled "It's about time actually."

Iris turned and saw something rising from the snow. Dripping, blood-dried fangs. Glowing lifeless eyes. The horrid claws. Ahead rising from the white earth was a pack of blood-thirsty wolfos.

Scoll sat back "They can't eat you, but you'd be nice little chew-toy to get their appetite going."

Iris shuttered. Once again, realizing Skits was gone. She was at least relieved he wouldn't see her get torn to bits. Her eyes were wide, as she soon found herself back-to-back with the wall. She gazed up, spotting Vitani's staff in Scoll's hand. As well the other weapons that sat next to him. 'Hmm...' She looked forward again, the wolfos were now running at full speed toward their prey. Iris stood frozen for a moment, before suddenly, she took a firm step forward. "Alright, come get me you mutts!" Determination burned in her eyes as she cut them at the monsters heading her way.

Moments away from their mighty jaws, Iris dropped to the ground, dodging the bite. They all rammed the wall. Scoll lost his hold on the staff, and the others fell, dropping them to the ground below. He swore under his breath and looked down where they fell.

Iris quickly picked up Vitani's staff. "I'm not letting you near my friends! You'll _have_ to get through me first you beasts!"

"Kill her!" Scoll roared.

The wolfos snarled and lunged at Iris. She recklessly waved the bladed end of the staff, hurting some of the lunging wolfos. She put up a good fight, but it didn't take her long to grow tired. She managed to dodge them still, and even send in a few thrusts and slashes with the staff. She was slowly becoming engulfed in the raging beasts, her only hope for survival was dodging...

**CAWWW!** came a familiar cry. Skits came sweeping in, grabbing the glass ball that contained the spirit of the great fairy off Scoll's side.

Scoll roared, giving chase to the bird as he unfurled his wings and took to the sky.

It seems the spell had been broken when the spirit was taken from Scoll. Everyone began waking up. Groans and grunts came from them as they all began waking at their own pace.

Orange gazed at the hoard of wolfos. He instantly jumped to his feet. The others had been given notice. Though, when Orion looked closer, he saw Iris crushed beneath them all. "It's... Iris!"

"What!?" Vitani and Orange both said at once. Orange saw his sword laying on the ground next to Orions gauntlets and sword. "Don't worry, we'll help you!"

Orion slipped on his gauntlets. "OVER HERE!" He called out to the wolfos. A few of them instantly let up and ran to Orion. This caused the rest to focus on the five who're now awake. They got up off of Iris, leaving Iris wheezing for breath. Iris sat up with a few scratches and cuts on her face. She quickly realized she still had Vitani's staff. "Vitani, your staff, here!" She shouted. She shot a deku nut at a wolfos, paralyzing it temporarily when it came running toward Vitani. She then handed the staff to Vitani.

He gave a quick thanks, before using one of his spells on the wolfos.

Iris now found herself fending off one wolfos.

Orion used his sword to slash at a wolfos' back. It cried out with a haunting howl, before falling onto the snow.

The wolfos began to decrease in numbers quickly now that everyone was fighting.

Kyutah and Grayson teamed up, and stood back to back. Kyutah grabbed the sword she found a while back when fighting Scoll before, and thrusted it at a wolfos.

Grayson sent a swift kick to one's face, causing it to cry out with a high pitched yelp.

Orange found himself fighting off quite few. He blew through them quick as he did a spin attack!

All during this, the lizalfos and dragalfos at the top were trying to get the sprit of the fairy back. Skits cawed at Iris. His grip came loose from the glass ball, dropping it.

"Whoa! I got it!" Iris held her hands out and caught it sloppily.

"Be careful Iris," Vitani said "It's one of the great fairy's spirits!"

Iris nodded "Got it!... Um, what do I do with it?"

Scoll dropped in front of her. "You give it to me!" He shoved Iris to the wall. She gasped as she tried prying his hand off her. He grabbed the orb from her, then threw her aside. She squeaked when she landed. "Why you!" She got back to her feet, then shot a bubble at his face.

Scoll grunted momentarily, then laughed after wiping the goop off. "Really!? That's just sad. You don't have chance of taking me."

"But _I_ Do!" Ryuko came dropping down in front of Scoll, slashing her claw's across his armor, piercing through it. She slashed once more, leaving a gaping wound across his chest. He roared out loudly, then whipped his tail at Ryuko, who quickly caught it, using it against him by throwing him to the ground. It was then that the lizalfos and dragalfos dropped down and joined the fight. All around, the sounds of blades and weapons clashing rang out. Roaring and battlecries rose above the field.

Vitani found himself sandwiched between two lizalfos. They charged toward him. He quickly dodged, as they collided into each other. In anger, they just started attacking each other.

Vitani watched "Heh, what do you know?"

Ryuko locked claws with a dragalfos who came to protect Scoll, and threw him to the ground.

Grayson grabbed a weapon that a lizalfos dropped, and started using it against them. It deemed as quite useful actually.

Iris simply watched, the monsters ignored her. A shine in the corner of her eye caught her attention. "There it is!" She ran and grabbed the orb off the ground and ran.

'Little Deku.'

Iris stopped, and looked around "Who said that...?"

'Please... Release me...' came the voice once more.

She gazed down at the orb "Great fairy?"

'Yes, please, release me... I'll help you...'

Iris looked for an opening, but it was tightly sealed. "How'd they get you in here?" She asked herself.

A dragalfos quickly dropped in front of Iris, causing her to drop the great fairy's spirit. "No!" She quickly made her way through the crowd of monsters. "Great! I've lost it!"

She had just noticed a goron step in front of her- and it was Darmorn. It seems the gorons were joining the fight now, now that they found the battle.

"This should even things out a bit." Darmorn said, looking down at the Deku girl. "This is no place for you, Iris, you need to find somewhere to hide, and now!"

"I've got something I need to find first!" Iris headed out on her search once more, dodging the flying blades and swinging axes.

There it was, being kicked around in the middle of a battle between a goron and a lizalfos. "Lovely." She said. She eased in, and grabbed it, then heeded Darmorn's words, and began running. Though, there wasn't really anywhere to hide. She stopped when she came to a dead end at the edge of the battlefield. The walls were broken here, and down below was a long drop off a cliff. If she'd known she was to run to a dead end, she would've just headed back into the battle, and tried making it to the inside of the fortress. Though, there was still the fear of the guardian dragon that was now running amok, which confused her as to how it played any roll in any of the dragalfos' plan.

"This just keeps getting more and more confusing..." Iris complained. "Well, now what great fairy?" She asked, gazing down at the orb in her hands.

The growling huffs from behind her made her turn slowly. Scoll wasn't letting up without that spirit it seems. "I've had it!" He roared. He was all cut up and wounded from the battle, mostly with Ryuko. "The chief gave me an order, and I intend on fulfilling it! Now give me that!"

Iris stepped back. She gazed behind her, aware of the death-promising fall, but also aware of the mad dragalfos ahead of her. Scoll grabbed her, but she grabbed a rock that was sticking from the ground and tried prying herself from his grip by pulling away from him. She looked to him, using her other only known defense: a Deku nut right to the eye. He exclaimed out loud when the exploding nut had hit him in the eye. He was left with blindness in that eye, and threw her across the snow when he roared out, the glass orb landing next to her. He cursed aloud, then glared at her with one eye open, burning with rage. Sparks kicked up in his mouth, indicating the coming of flames. Iris jumped to her feet and ran with spirit in hand.

Out came the river of flames, as he swung his head aimlessly, hoping to hit the quick deku scrub. His sight was still gone in one eye. Though. The flames eventually stopped once he'd lost the gas to the create the flames. He now relied on his claws, he slashed and slashed. Iris was backed against a large stone standing from the ground. She looked to the side, spotting a sword from one of the fallen lizalfos. Scoll was now readying a lunge, his claws pointing at Iris, going for a sure kill.

"**ACCK-!?**"

The lizalfos and Dragalfos all stopped upon hearing the gruesome sounding stab and the exclaiming groan that came with it. Ryuko lifted her ears, as shock took to her snarled face. The battle soon grew quiet. Along the field laid many fallen monsters, and some injured gorons. The six hyrulians who were once captured all seemed fine, with a few scratches here and there. Horror captivated many of the creature's faces on the field. Vitani gazed at the scene with Orion, looking as shocked as everyone else.

Scoll laid over Iris. It appeared he was now moving off. He stepped back weakly. Iris had a long cut along her face where Scoll's claws scrapped down. It was nothing compared to Scoll's side of pain. His lunge forward had caused the sword Iris had grabbed to impale through his gut. He stammered and muttered weakly. He looked down slowly at the sword that stabbed completely through him, then fell to his knee's "I've... I-'ve -failed you... M-master Ma- M..."

Just then, he fell to the snow backward on his last breath. Iris looked horrified at the sight. She really had no word's to say to the death of the monster.

The remaining dragalfos and lizalfos on the field were all horrified at the sight of their commander's death. "The commander has fallen! r-retreat, retreat!" One called out. And just like that, they all went running out of the fortress, the few dragalfos took to the sky as they unfurled their wings. It all seemed to happen so fast, that no one could really take action in stopping their escape. Iris trembled to her feet, still gazing wide eyed at the dead commander. She then looked down at the orb, and picked it up shakily. She was kind of paranoid, knowing not too long ago, Scoll was trying to kill her.

Orion stepped to Scoll's motionless form.

Skits landed in front of Iris with an expression that asked 'Are you okay?'

Iris looked down to her bird brother, then back up to everyone else.

Later on, time passed as the goron tribe had been informed of the plans that Scoll had. "I see." Darmorn responded. "I'm glad they only got one of the fairies." He looked to Iris. "Though… That large dragon you mentioned isn't there in the fortress, Iris."

"I-I know what I saw, Darmorn!" Iris responded "Even Ryuko saw it…"

"I'm not saying you didn't see it, but we went in and looked everywhere. The beast isn't there anymore." Darmorn seemed to wonder about it himself.

"But-…" Iris then sighed. "Well, if you see a huge dragon flying around Termina soon, you know where it came from."

"Don't worry Iris. If we see it, we'll take care of it, right brothers?" Darmorn called heartily. The gorons cheered behind Darmorn proudly.

Iris gave a small smirk. "… Well, alright then."

"Anyway, now to the Great Fairy. I guess it's time to set her free. After the story I've heard, I'm sure you all just want to head home."

Iris nodded, then looked to everyone else. "Let's all go home."

She rose up the orb, before hitting it on a rock. A crack gleamed through on the ball, as it grew and grew. A light leaked through each crack. The light grew so bright.

Iris dropped it in the snow, as it began to grow too bright for her. She covered her face with her arms.

The light was now growing over Iris, and soon washed over the whole field, then just like that... It was gone. In place of the light was a tall, beautiful being who's body was wrapped in foliage. Iris gazed wide eyed. She'd never actually seen one of the fairies.

"Thank you." The light that washed over them all had healed their wounds. Iris rubbed her face where the gash had been, and it was gone!

"My face!" She said in joy.

The fairy smiled warmly at the seven who stood before her. "I'm sorry for all the trouble brought upon you all. My power has weakened greatly, seeing as Scoll misused my power. I have just enough strength to return you all to your homes and times from once you came however. After I have helped you, I must go into rest..."

Iris nodded "Thanks- W-wait, times?

"Yes, some of you were pulled from different times I'm afraid." The fairy replied.

Iris seemed a bit saddened at hearing this, knowing she probably wouldn't see some of her friends again. With this, she turned to the five. "Well then, this is good bye, huh...?"

Vitani looked down some "I'm afraid so."

Iris took a deep breath. "Then... Thank you, all of you. I may not've known you very long, but it was a pleasure getting to know you all. I wasn't much help, but you all did so much to help me out, and I'm truly grateful for that."

"Nonsense," Vitani began "You were quite a big help to us, especially when you busted us out of the cell, we wouldn't be here right now if you wouldn't have done that. You were very brave for a Deku scrub, I'll give you that"

It filled Iris with joy hearing him say that, seeing as usually, people see her as a problem. "Thank you, Vitani."

She hugged Vitani. "That means a lot."

She looked to everyone else. "Fare well everyone."

The great fairy opened up a bright light. "Taking this protal will take you all home."

One by one, they stepped through, giving eachother heartening fare wells. Orange turned to Iris. "I hope I'll see you again Iris, it was nice meeting you."

"Likewise to you Orange, and thank you again for saving me, I owe it to you. You be safe, K'?" Iris replied, she was sad to see him step through, knowing it was good bye.

Orion stepped forward with Kyutah, as they bid Iris a fare well.

Ryuko said her fare well to everyone, and left with Grayson. The last ones left were Vitani and Iris.

Before Vitani stepped through, he gave Iris a wave good bye "Fare well, little Deku."

She chuckled "See ya', Vitani."

With that, he stepped through.

She looked at the Great fairy, then looked back at the portal. Skits sat on her arm, excitedly awaiting to arrive home once more.

"We're going home buddy, we're goi- What's happening!?" Iris exclaimed. The portal began to dim and die out.

"M-my power, it's fading!" The fairy warned. She began to fade, as did the portal.

Iris cried out "N-NO!" as she ran to the portal. But by the time she was about to pass through it, it vanished... She fell to her knees on the snow, gazing out at the nothingness beyond her. Trying not to believe what just happened.

Behind stood the goron tribe. Darmorn had an expression of shock. All was quiet.

Now Iris and Skits were left stranded... Iris remained at her knees... _Lost in Termina_...

The End...? Less than likely...

* * *

This story was rather short, and originally wasn't intended to be continued. In the original plan I had, Iris went home and story ended. However, as I wrote this chapter, I had the idea to continue a story where Iris had been left in Termina- which lead to my first long fanfic, Lost In Termina, which can currently be found on here already. I finished Lost In Termina, and am now writing another story called Shadows over Termina. So The Quest of Seven is kinda what started my love for writing~ ^.^ hope it was an enjoyable read.

_Vitani belongs to TheCrimsonKyuubi on DeviantART._

_Kyutah belongs to sarcasticAquarium on DeviantART._

_Orion belongs to kingofdarkness17 on DeviantART._

_Grayson belongs to InsanityStories on DeviantART._

_Orange belongs to TeaiX on DeviantART._

_Ryuko belongs to XenomorphicDragon on DeviantART._


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